


don't send a soulmate to do a wife's job.

by witchboywriting



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: ...kind of, Asra's route is spoiled, F/M, Fluff, Lucio's route (book one) is spoiled, M/M, Soulmates, Spoilers, spoiler warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 13:41:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20259007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchboywriting/pseuds/witchboywriting
Summary: lucio's and asra's route spoilers in the summary. you have been warned:Asra had said there was a sense of power in sharing something with one you love. At the time he had been speaking of the heart you both shared, but now all you could think of was the space in your soul that had contained bits of Lucio’s own being.





	don't send a soulmate to do a wife's job.

**Author's Note:**

> enjoyed this work? want more? requests can be made [here](https://witchboy-writing.tumblr.com/ask)
> 
> want to see updates on my stories? see how things are going? give opinions on what I should write next? hear my rants? follow me [here](https://witchboy-writing.tumblr.com/ask) on tumblr, love.
> 
> story request found [here](https://witchboy-writing.tumblr.com/post/186886538053/hi-i-love-your-writing-its-so-unique-and)   


Lucio had always enjoyed hunting, but he had not enjoyed being the prey.  
You had never enjoyed hunting, yet, you had been assigned as the hunter.

“Just find him.” Nadia had begged you, and you (unwilling to deny her request, seeing as how it was you that was so insistent on tying Lucio to your soul like he was nothing more than a charm to add to your bag, followed by actually bringing Lucio back from the dead) agreed to complete her task.

The task seemed simple enough: find the Count and bring him back into the palace. After all, you were a magician. With a bit of what you do best (and a guiding hand from the cards) you would find him in no time. So, you said yes.

“No need to worry, Countess. I will bring him back. You have my word.”  
But the moment you saw Lucio in the garden you wished you had not given the Countess something as important as your word.

From your position on the castle’s balcony, Lucio looked still and silent. He was hidden from the castle’s walls and his people (the very things that made him so proud and joyous and illustrious), yet he looked happy, at peace in his garden as he sat with them: _Mercedes and Melchior._

The trio had been separated for quite some time and their reunion looked joyous. It was clear they had missed one another as Lucio smiled from his seat, watching his beloved pets running through the bushes and around the roses and past the stone bench Lucio found himself upon. They would only stop long enough to receive a pet from their master before running once more, likely making a mess of the freshly cut and groomed plants, but Lucio did not mind. He was happy to let them run, to let them enjoy themselves in a way no one had while he had been gone.

“You poor things.” You heard him say as the pair came to him once more, “You two have been cooped up in the castle for far too long.”  
He stood from the bench, kneeling down into the grass, and the pair jumped on him like he was holding their dinner hostage, practically knocking him to the ground. A concealed laugh escaped Lucio’s lips as he ran his hands through their tufts of hair, starting at their heads and running down their backs. He was happy, smiling brighter than the sun.

You knew were due to bring him inside...Lucio had missed out on far too much since the turn of events that changed Vesuvia three years ago. He needed to return to his life there, to his work, to his people. Yet, you found yourself uncertain you could force him back inside. It was not that you were physically incapable. It was not as if, in a fight between yourself and Lucio, you would lose. There was only one small thing keeping you from taking him ..._that smile_. Dragging Lucio away would destroy it.

You were not certain why you had become the protector of Lucio’s smile. Maybe it was the rarity of such a smile that made it special and made you see its value. However, a better question to ask was, when had you become the protector of Lucio’s smile? It was some time before he had returned from the dead and sometime after he had been removed from his place in your soul.

Many found it odd and out of character for the both of you to look at one another the way you did, to share memories the way you did, to share love the way you did. _Love_….you had never thought of your shared feelings with Lucio that way until it had been said aloud.

“When did you both become this way?”

The two of you were in your own world when Asra asked, so much so that it seemed that he had appeared out of nowhere when, in fact, he had been with you both the entire time.

“Whatever do you mean?” You had asked, and Asra smiled cunningly, as if he knew more than you did (which, clearly, he had).

“Like..._this_.” He said again, point to the two of you, and it wasn’t until then that you realized it.  
You both had sat so close to one another, brushing your fingers together ever-so-slightly on the dining table. Lucio had been smiling at you so brightly before Asra had spoken, his eyes glistened and focused on you. And, in that moment, you realized that you had not been close only then, but you had been like this for a while.

“Love.” Asra said, directing his comment at a very confused and frustrated looking Lucio, who had clearly been taking a bit longer than you and Asra to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Suddenly, like a warning siren had sounded into the air, you both felt a pounding in your chest, a realization in your minds and from then on things had not been the same. The innocent want to touch, the late nights spent together in conversation drowning in a bottle of whatever Lucio had favored that week, the time spent with him in the mornings and afternoons and between daily meetings ...it all just stopped like Lucio had suddenly become an ashamed, love-struck schoolboy not willing to admit to his feelings.

You had not been certain that Asra knew what he was talking about or that he was right until that moment, because being away from Lucio had broken your heart in a way that would never have happened if it had been anything other than love.

Even now, as you watched Lucio in the garden, you felt it: heartbreak, heartache, love.

“As much as I appreciate not being dragged back to the palace you hardly have to stare, magician.”

You had been so lost in thought and in the secrecy you had from your balcony for so long, it took you a moment to realize he had been speaking to you, that you had been caught. It seemed your charms and spells and wishes had not been enough to keep Lucio from taking notice of you, but you were not surprised. Those types of spells only worked with a focused mind. Whatever your goal is you have to fixated on it without a doubt, and there was plenty of doubt in your mind. After all “_keep Lucio’s focus away from me_” was a hard task to complete when all you could think of was how you wanted to be with him again, to touch him, to speak with him, to understand him. He had been clouding your focus, so of course he had noticed you.

“Join us.” He commanded, and there was a part of you that thought it was a terrible idea. Joining him for only a moment would turn to sitting with him for hours and you knew it. After all, these days you both acted like magnets: always drawn to one another and very hard to seperate once together.

“I do not think that is best.”

“You plan to tell me what is best, magician? You plan to deny your Count?”  
If there was a part of you that thought being with Lucio was a terrible idea, there was an even larger part that thought it was for the best, so you made your way down to the garden, taking the stairs until they lead you to Mercedes and Melchior, whose tails were wagging with an excitement that was so rare to see in them, but so wonderful all the same.

The pair lead you to him and, for a moment as he looked down at the green grass he looked broken, hurt, cold, like he was lost in deep and negative thoughts. His warm smile had left his face, until he looked over at you.

“They like you.” The Count spoke of his pets with a sudden smile, though he might as well have been talking about himself (and, in some capacity, he was), “But it seems they always have.”

“The feeling is mutual.” You spoke of your love for Mercedes and Melchior, though you also might as well have been speaking about Lucio, seeing as how he was the only thing on your mind, “They are a kind pair, don’t you think?”

Lucio chucked as the pair left your side, coming to sit as his feet. You followed their lead, coming to sit beside Lucio, whose voice came down to a whisper as you got closer to him, “I would certainly agree, magician, though I do not think most would. It seems they were avoided in my absence.” Lucio’s smile faded once more as he thought of the neglect they had likely felt in his absence, as he thought of the way everything that had his mark on it had been abandoned the moment he had vanished from Vesuvia, “If you had been invited to the palace sooner, Magician, maybe they would have been taken better care of.”

“Don’t tell me _that_ is why you have taken an interest in me ...because of them? Did they really win me over for you?”

...and there it was again, _that smile_.  
“I do not know I would say _that_ is why.” He said, “Though they do have good taste.”

No one was entirely certain why the two of you had been so close as of late. During the time of the plague, you had not known Lucio personally and Lucio certainly had not known you, or, if he had, he said nothing. You were a lowly magician, after all. You were hardly something worth Lucio’s attention. He was more likely to have scraped you from the bottom of his boots before befriending you back then. Yet, here you were, sitting together in the garden, speaking of love and affections in cryptics like old lovers do.

Asra had said there was a sense of power in sharing something with one you love. At the time he had been speaking of the heart you both shared, but now all you could think of was the space in your soul that had contained bits of Lucio’s own being. You could remember feeling cold and alone before he had become a part of you. Everyone could remember how he had acted that way too, like he was alone in the world, like he had to make a new one for himself. Yet, you felt different now, and, as you sat beside Lucio you did not feel the cold, dark, lonely energy you had both soaked in your entire lives. You felt warmth, and you could tell he did too.

“Lucio, I-”

You wanted to speak out, to say something to rid you both of the anxiety you had, to take you both back to the way things were only days ago when you felt a love for one another so simple and strong and pure that it had gone unnoticed by you both. Yet, Lucio rid you of your words, letting his actions take their place.

He reached out, grabbing your face in his hands, pulling you closer, leaning his head against your own.  
You placed your hands against his, feeling their warmth between your fingertips.

“You do not have to say a thing, magician.  
I understand….._I know_.”

His words were so quiet, once again, that you could hardly hear them, but you were closer this time. His lips hovered over your own and you could understand him so clearly in every way one could understand another: in thought, in mind, in sound, in heart.

You both had craved a sense of closeness for so long, only wishing for the other to give their approval, and this was it. The both of you had reached out to one another at the same time, calling for one another, comforting one another, and now that you had that approval you were certain you could not force him inside.

_Just a few more moments_, you thought to yourself, but time passed so quickly when you were together, and before you knew it the sun had gone down and you had sat together (with legs tangled, face always close to one another, eyes always lingering, fingers running along each other in the most innocent of ways) for what had likely been hours without a word shared to one another.

“You know I will have to drag you inside sometime soon.” You mentioned.

“How soon is ‘soon’?” He asked, knowing perfectly well that ‘soon’ was hours ago (maybe even years ago when this mess had first started), that he had missed out on many important things, that his people needed him, that he was still the Count, not a child who had to be picked up and carried around and told what to do, but he was biding his time.

“I don’t know what to make of you, Lucio.” You said, “Are you procrastinating or are you simply that easily distracted?”

“I haven’t even been distracted yet, Magician.” Lucio said, leaning in closer to you, laying his head in the crook of your neck, placing a hand on your thigh, tracing circles on the fabric of you trousers with his fingertips, “You forget, I was the one that came here. It was my choice to be here. You came to me and lost track of your work. If anything I have distracted you .” Lucio leaned in closer, hovering his lips over your own, “_But you could_ distract me, magician. I promise not to put up _too_ much of a fight.”

There was something in the tone of Lucio’s voice...it was not sensual or lusting, it was not demanding or cunning (though the things he had in mind were likely just that). However, it was as if Lucio was a child begging for even a moment of attention. He was a child begging to be tucking in a night, to be protected, to be held, to be loved.

“Nadia is not going to like it if I take your side on this, Lucio. She will have my head.”

“As if that woman could do anything without _my_ permission.” Lucio leaned closer, practically setting himself on your lap,  
“I will take care of you if you take care of me. Deal, magician?”

You sighed. Lucio was winning. He was getting what he wanted as he had for years. Yet, for the first time, you had not found yourself annoyed by it. You may have found yourself restless, burdened with the task of caring for him, but you did not mind it. Maybe it was due to the new perspective being bound to him had given you. Years ago you had only seen Lucio in power. You had seen him grow into his role as the count with blood-lust and a hunger for power burning in his eyes. Yet, that same man was now sprawled across your lap, placing chaste kisses to your flesh begging for you to hold him, to protect him, to befriend him...and you were going to do it.

“Just promise me you will take better care of yourself, Lucio. No more hiding.”

“Ohh? Do you care that much for me now?”

“Maybe.” You responded, clearly as uncertain of your feelings as Lucio was of his, “Then again, I would truly hate for you to be so burdened again that you act stupidly. To have to revive you _again_, to use magic like that, to have to tether your soul to mine would be such a burden, don’t you think?”

“Why, of all the people to be tethered to, did it have to be you, magician?”  
Lucio asked, a smirk seated on his face as he did.

You hummed, “Would you rather have anyone else?” You asked, and it was then that Lucio came to the same realization you had moments ago: that the world was a lot warmer when the two of you were together, that, even if he had soul-ties with anyone else, they would never be able to give him what you had.

Lucio hummed in response, a small blush rising to his cheeks. You knew he was not going to admit it, but you did not mind. You both had many an unspoken word with one another, and that had always worked just fine for the both of you. Asra’s meddling and forcing you to speak your feelings had hardly done any good. The actions shared between you both had always been better than words. However, Lucio hardly wanted to sit in silence, even if he did not wish to speak with you.

He shuffled a bit in his seat, situating himself on your lap and wrapping his arms over your shoulders. The two of you had been holding one another for quite some time now, but it had never been like this (so close and personal and intimate), yet he leaned closer still, bringing his lips to your ear. “Now, magician, distract me _like you promised_.”

It seemed, in the end, you would have to break your promise to Nadia. After all, _how could you deny that?_

**Author's Note:**

> comments don't pay the bills, but they certainly make me happy.


End file.
